DIY Bass traps & treatments..

Hello Everyone,

I need to prevail upon your wealth of experience once again... this time in the area of "acoustical room treatments". Bass traps, diffusion, first reflection, etc.

I'm not afraid of work, I am afraid of spending more than necessary to achieve a properly treated room. ONe more suitable to enjoy listening than I now have. the problem is I have absolutely no idea of what, where, or how to start, and/or keep it all in balance... too much, or too little in this area seems inappropriate, though again, I just don't know.... but I need to now...

I would appreciate being pointed in the direction where one should begin apart from getting a SPL meter and a test CD.

Here's what I do know:
Bass traps can be made. Either from Fiberglass panels, or 3/8 inch carpet runners. (each of which needs to be spaced 1.5 inch off the wall at top & bottom)

Room Corners (top & bottom), need treatment. Real traps says 2' x 2' traps are appropriate there.

My room is 13 feet 7 inches wide, 19 feet 7 inches long, & at the highest point, 8.75 feet (sloping gently down to 8.25). Fully carpeted. Two openings to other areas. One hallway, one to the kitchen and dining area Both of wich will ultimately be closed off by doors, pocket on one, bifold, or snap back on the other. No pictures or wall hangings what ever. Vynal coverd drywall, with R-11 in the side walls, R-19 in the one exposed wall the main speakers face, along with a 48 inch wide window there as well.

The speakers sit on the 13 foot wall facing the length of the room... and the curtain covered windowed wall. The rear of the speakres point toward a false wall which houses a 61 inch projection TV, which I had built to give the speakers a flat surface area behind them instead of just a big old TV between them and the problems it causes.

I'm using a pair of VR4 JR's. One sub which I will soon swap[ out for at least a better one, and probably two of the Von Schweikert subs...

oh, and one chair at the listening position... that's it. Pretty bare. oh, and no pets or kids, or wife...

OK, I'm done.... how many, how far apart, floor to ceiling traps, or just center on the wall equal distance apart? Right behind the speakers what do you do..? I did see in one thread using tall fake plants in the corners was one notion.... and I've seen that at some audio joints too.

Any help from those who have done this sort of thing would be super! I can't afford not to do this as all of you point out, the results are immense. I simply can't afford to contract it all either...

Lastly, so from the top, in this 'room treatment primer' what is a good test Cd, & how to go about mesuring how big a trap to make or where to place 'em, and for that matter how many?

Books won't help me too awful much. Online info will. So if you don't mind lending me your experiences and know how, I would be in your debt. Thank you.